All Classes & Events
Everyone Welcome | All Skill Levels | Bring Your Tools
In addition to formal classes, at least once a month the pruning club meets for a volunteer opportunity. At these events you will get the chance to work on material in the landscape and receive pointers and tips on pruning techniques from experienced pruners. Please be sure to contact the appropriate contact person for the event you plan to attend.
NOTE: All events are subject to change due to conditions having to do with the Coronavirus pandemic. Call the listed contact person prior to the event to sign up and find out the details and potential attendance limitations at that particular event. All activities will be subject to all the precautions required, such as masks and social distancing.

Lake Merritt Japanese Garden (First Friday Maintenance Day)
Contact: Bill Castellon, 510-910-5935; billcastellon@aol.com


Pruning Flowering Trees and Shrubs
Pruning Flowering Trees and Shrubs - LH804
Instructor: Jocelyn Cohen
Pruning, styling and care of most of the flowering trees & shrubs found in East Bay gardens: when to prune, selection of tree form and fertilization.


Breakfast Club (3rd Fridays)
Contact: Leslie Buck, 510-295-7006
Connect with fellow pruners to talk shop and get to know each other!

Lake Merritt Japanese Garden (Pruning Day)
Contact: Bill Castellon, 510-910-5935; billcastellon@aol.com

Pruning California Native Trees and Shrubs
Pruning California Native Trees and Shrubs - LH831
Instructor: Jocelyn Cohen
Study of the techniques needed to prune California native trees and shrubs: seasonal pruning, proper care, trouble analysis, winter silhouette and form enhancement.
Japanese American Religious and Cultural Center, Concord – Pines
Contact: Lara Miranda, LMPruning@gmail.com

Lake Merritt Japanese Garden (First Friday Maintenance Day)
Contact: Bill Castellon, 510-910-5935; billcastellon@aol.com

The Art of the Laceleaf Maple
The Art of the Laceleaf Maple - LH891
Instructor: Yuki Nara
Study of the techniques needed to prune laceleaf Japanese maple trees: seasonal pruning, proper care, trouble analysis, winter silhouette and form enhancement.

Pruning Maples
Pruning Maples - LH810
Instructor: Pete Churgel
Study of the techniques needed to prune maple trees: seasonal pruning, proper care, trouble analysis, winter silhouette and form enhancement.

Breakfast Club (3rd Fridays)
Contact: Leslie Buck, 510-295-7006
Connect with fellow pruners to talk shop and get to know each other!

Pruning Pines
Pruning Pines - LH811A
Instructor: Bill Castellon & Lara Miranda
Basic techniques of pruning ornamental pine trees, including styling, design and proper care.
Berkeley Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple Garden
Contact: Dina Blackwell, 510-469-6958, dinablackwell@gmail.com

Hakone Gardens, Saratoga
Contact: Jen Schuessler, 510-693-9627, dryadsdreaming@gmail.com
Buena Vista United Methodist Church, Alameda
Contact: Dina Blackwell: 510-469-6958, dinablackwell@gmail.com

Lake Merritt Japanese Garden (First Friday Maintenance Day) (Copy)
Contact: Bill Castellon, 510-910-5935; billcastellon@aol.com

Breakfast Club (3rd Fridays)
Contact: Leslie Buck, 510-295-7006
Connect with fellow pruners to talk shop and get to know each other!

Northbrae Community Church
Contact: Evelyn Borchert, 510-926-5421, artisticpruning@gmail.com

Finding the Essence of a Tree
Finding the Essence of a Tree - LH803
Instructor: Pete Churgel
Identification of different tree forms such as slant, formal upright, windswept and clump. Pruning techniques for these various forms.

Pruning Deciduous Trees and Shrubs
Pruning Deciduous Trees and Shrubs - LH801
Instructor: Chris Ingram
Study of the art of pruning deciduous trees: dormant pruning of trees, pruning containerized trees and shrubs, techniques to improve winter silhouette.

Breakfast Club (3rd Fridays)
Contact: Leslie Buck, 510-295-7006
Connect with fellow pruners to talk shop and get to know each other!

Pruning
Pruning - LH26
Instructor: Pete Churgel and Lara Miranda
Basic pruning techniques: emphasis on pruning landscape plants, appreciation of good pruning of trees, shrubs, conifers, roses, berries, grapes. Intensive 2-day class, required for most certificates.
*NOTE: You must be enrolled as a current and active student in the Peralta Colleges system to take this class.

Northern California Golden State Bonsai Collection Garden
Contact: Bill Castellon, 510-910-5935; billcastellon@aol.com

Pruning
Pruning - LH26
Instructor: Pete Churgel and Lara Miranda
Basic pruning techniques: emphasis on pruning landscape plants, appreciation of good pruning of trees, shrubs, conifers, roses, berries, grapes. Intensive 2-day class, required for most certificates.
*NOTE: You must be enrolled as a current and active student in the Peralta Colleges system to take this class.

Lake Merritt Japanese Garden (First Friday Maintenance Day)
Contact: Bill Castellon, 510-910-5935; billcastellon@aol.com

Introduction to Bonsai
Introduction to Bonsai - LH839
Instructor: Bill Castellon
Bonsai as an art and science: five basic styles, branch placement of trees, scale of proportion, use of wire, pruning, transplanting and care.

The Art of the Wisteria
The Art of the Wisteria - LH881
Instructor: Pete Churgel
Pruning and training of wisteria. Identification and discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of the different species of wisteria, and explanation of the growth and training methods to provide optimal flowering. Problem solving.

Breakfast Club (3rd Fridays)
Contact: Leslie Buck, 510-295-7006
Connect with fellow pruners to talk shop and get to know each other!


Pruning Deciduous Fruit Trees
Pruning Deciduous Fruit Trees - LH848
Instructor: Nancy Brown
Pruning of the majority of deciduous fruit trees grown in the Bay Area.

Lake Merritt Japanese Garden (First Friday Maintenance Day)
Contact: Dick Austin, 510-418-0968

Introduction to Aesthetic Pruning
Introduction to Aesthetic Pruning - LH800
Instructor: Chris Ingram
Introduction to aesthetic pruning of ornamental trees: assessment of the tree and setting, timing and procedures for achieving a desired result.

Green Gulch Farm Zen Center
Contact: Malcolm Scotchler, 510-289 5127, hortnick1@gmail.com

Breakfast Club (3rd Fridays)
Contact: Leslie Buck, 510-295-7006
Connect with fellow pruners to talk shop and get to know each other!

Hakone Gardens, Saratoga
Contact: Jen Schuessler, 510-693-9627, dryadsdreaming@gmail.com

Breakfast Club (3rd Fridays)
Contact: Leslie Buck, 510-295-7006
Connect with fellow pruners to talk shop and get to know each other!

Aesthetic Pruning as a Career
Aesthetic Pruning as a Career - LH823
Instructor: Chris Ingram
Business aspects of aesthetic pruning: customer relations, fee structure, work schedule, equipment and long-term goals.

Lake Merritt Japanese Garden (First Friday Maintenance Day)
Contact: Dick Austin, 510-418-0968
Japanese American Religious and Cultural Center, Concord – Pines
Contact: Lara Miranda, LMPruning@gmail.com

Pruning Container Trees and Shrubs
Pruning Container Trees and Shrubs - LH816
Instructor: Bill Castellon
In-depth study of pruning container trees and shrubs: detail pruning, miniaturizing, caring, wiring, and positioning.


Breakfast Club (3rd Fridays)
Contact: Leslie Buck, 510-295-7006
Connect with fellow pruners to talk shop and get to know each other!

Buena Vista United Methodist Church, Alameda
Contact: Dina Blackwell: 510-469-6958, dinablackwell@gmail.com

Pruning for the Big Picture
Pruning for the Big Picture - LH815
Instructor: Pete Churgel
In-depth study of pruning for the big picture: general and detail pruning, depth of field, height and width, direction, relative importance of trees.

Peralta TV
An overview of aesthetic pruning with some of our mentors at a Pruning Club event at the Japanese Garden at Lake Merritt. Filmed in 2009.
All Classes & Events
Here is a complete calendar of all upcoming aesthetic pruning classes and volunteer community events.